My life during those three months looks a lot like the public mental health system. Local Community Mental Health agencies (CMHs) are required, on a daily basis, to meet the needs of people with mental illness in a system that everyone knows is tragically under funded. The system does what it can with the resources it has and looks towards the next ﬁscal year, with ﬁngers crossed, hoping for some relief. Some in the system have given up hope, and consider it a "success" if their funding isnï¿½t cut or eliminated.